Pelendur

Pelendur
Tolkien's legendarium character
Aliases	Steward of Gondor
Race	Man (Middle-earth)
Book(s)	The Return of the King

Pelendur is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, appearing The Return of the King.

He was Steward of Gondor in the year 1944 Third Age. He was born in T.A. 1879 and was a descendant of Húrin of Emyn Arnen, an earlier Steward of Gondor and the grandfather of Mardil Voronwë, the first Ruling Steward of Gondor.

Pelendur helped Gondor through a constitutional crisis following the premature death of King Ondoher and his sons Artamir and Faramir while fighting the Wainriders. He effectively ruled the kingdom for one year while observing the claims of the two claimants, Prince Arvedui of Arthedain, and the general Eärnil II who was victorious in battle against the Wainriders (Easterlings). Arvedui was the heir of Isildur and his wife was Fíriel, a daughter of Ondoher. Eärnil was part of the Royal House of Gondor but not part of the direct line of succession, his great-grandfather Arciryas was the brother of Narmacil II, and Eärnil's great-great-grandfather was King Telumehtar Umbardacil.

Pelendur dismissed Arvedui's claim maintaining that the rule of Gondor belonged to the heirs of Anárion, even though Isildur was the High King of both Gondor and Arnor before his death. Arvedui stated while Isildur did leave Gondor to take up the rule of Arnor, he did not relinquish the rule of Gondor and remained at the head of succession, as Anárion's son Meneldil was installed as regent. Nor did he intend the realms to be estranged forever, though Meneldil did otherwise. To this, the Council of Gondor made no answer.

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